32 NATUEAL HISTORY BULLETIN 



sheath which may be contracted to near the base or extended to 

 near the tip in preserved specimens. 



Solitary felipedal or unguicnlate major pedicellariae of large 

 size and remarkable in form are scattered on the dermis, above 

 and below; others are on the inner furrow margins. They are 

 hand-shaped, with curved, acute terminal denticles, interlocking 

 like fingers or claws. The valves are wider distally and there 

 are generally about five or six interlocking denticles. 



The adambulacral spines are two to each plate, slender, elong- 

 ated. There are no interactinal plates nor spines ; the inf eromar- 

 ginals join closely to the adambulacrals. 



It was taken by the Bahama Expedition at Station 61, off Key 

 West, in 75 to 80 fathoms, and at Station 64, in 110 fathoms, off 

 American Shoal, Florida. 



It was dredged by the U. S. Fish Commission, at several sta- 

 tions in 31 to 373 fathoms, between N. lat. 37° 18' 11'' and 

 36° 41' 05". 



This is the species described by Professor Nutting, as the 

 most beautiful starfish obtained. See Narrative of Bahama Ex- 

 pedition, p. 168, and figure on opposite plate. 



Genus Pedicellaster Sars. 



Pedicellaster Sars, Oversigt Norges Ech., p. 77, 1861. Pemer, op, cit., 

 1884, p. 194; Exped. Trav. et Talism., p. 99, 1894. Sladen, op. cit., 

 p. 5-57, 1889. Verrill, op. cit., p. 202, 1914a. 



Delicate starfishes with a small disk and usually five or six 

 slender rays, sometimes more. Dorsal plates form a reticulation. 

 Ambulacral feet in two rows. Ambulacral groove relatively wide 

 and open. Dorsal and marginal plates are covered with small 

 spinules. 



Pedicellarige of both kinds are formed on most, if not all, 

 species when adult. 



Pedicellaster pourtalesi Perrier. 



Pedicellaster pourtalesi Perrier, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., vol. ix. p. 7, 1881; 

 Etoiles de Mer, p. 194, pi. iii, fig. 4. 



Rays very slender, fragile at base, elongated, terete, obtuse. 

 The type had the radii 4™°^ and 21°^™ ; ratio, about 1 :5. 



Dorsal plates are delicate mostly in three rovv^s, a carinal and 



